Phil-iminated in a field following a failure to crack a Morse code challenge, early favorites Joe and Heidi Wang suffered a surprise defeat in this weeks "Amazing Race." (Blame their loss on the leading cop duo, who U Turned the team to their tragic end.) We talked to the married Californians about Joe's villain edit, their kids' take on the season-ending loss, and their million-dollar plans for the future.

MSN TV: It must have been murder to relive the Morse code challenge on last night's episode.

Joe: It was tough knowing we were going to be eliminated - our kids and my mom watched it with us, and we kept trying to give them little clues.

Heidi: Our kids were saying, "We know you're going to the top three."

Did they have ideas for how you could have done better?

Joe: My son made the point of how come every other team had to do one task, and we had to do two.

Joe: We were on such a high after the trenches, and the crawling -- it was supposed to be such a relief, getting the route info, but it was a real downer when we saw the Morse code. I was, like, "Have you ever studied Morse code?"

Did you have a favorite moment we didn't see on the show?

Joe: Our best memories would be Hamburg -- our flight getting in was supposed to be an hour earlier than everyone else. We ended up two hours behind, but we caught up to the cowboys.

Heidi: It's interesting actually -- Joe has been portrayed as the villain. We were having fun with the character development. Maybe he was being very confident and [editors] turned it into something that wasn't there.

Joe: I was interviewed [on the show] about hurting my knee -- the other teams heard I was more worried about my knee and less worried about the competition. But I respected all the teams we competed against.

What's next for you?

Joe: I actually left Microsoft and now I'm pursuing other opportunities. I didn't win the million dollars here -- but I'll win the several-million-dollar-prize elsewhere.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Did you do a lot of preparation before the show?A. Joe: We did a lot of endurance things like jet skiing, parasailing, rock climbing.A. Heidi: Joe and I took this really seriously. We trained, we went running 3 times a week before the kids woke up for school. I got lasic eye surgery. I studied maps and atlases every night before I went to bed and we actually bought the entire series of The Amazing Race on Ebay and watched it every night. We used it as game time review. We learned so many things from previous contestants

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Were you surprised that Louie and Michael U-Turned you as opposed to Steve or Allie?A. Joe: I think being U-Turned is definitely a surprise. We were running ahead and typically, when I've seen U-Turns, it's the second to last team. They don't want that team behind them to catch up to them. If you're in the front of the pack, you usually just keep going because you don't wanna create negative vibes.A. Heidi: They had the opportunity to u-turn anybody. They didn't have to choose between us or Steve and Allie.

Margie & Luke didn't do that! We were the third team to be at the U-Turn mat when we u-turned Amanda & Kris. I guess we created a new strategy that it doesn't have to be for a second to last team to u-turn a last team.

Yes indeed, and it proved to be devastatingly effective. However, in both the cases of Joe/Heidi and Amanda/Kris those teams had severe difficulties in doing the second DETOUR (which in Amanda/Kris' case they had already failed at. If there had been "normal DETOURS" then neither U-turn attempt would have succeeded.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Were you surprised that Louie and Michael U-Turned you as opposed to Steve or Allie?A. Joe: I think being U-Turned is definitely a surprise. We were running ahead and typically, when I've seen U-Turns, it's the second to last team. They don't want that team behind them to catch up to them. If you're in the front of the pack, you usually just keep going because you don't wanna create negative vibes.A. Heidi: They had the opportunity to u-turn anybody. They didn't have to choose between us or Steve and Allie.

Margie & Luke didn't do that! We were the third team to be at the U-Turn mat when we u-turned Amanda & Kris. I guess we created a new strategy that it doesn't have to be for a second to last team to u-turn a last team.

Yes indeed, and it proved to be devastatingly effective. However, in both the cases of Joe/Heidi and Amanda/Kris those teams had severe difficulties in doing the second DETOUR (which in Amanda/Kris' case they had already failed at. If there had been "normal DETOURS" then neither U-turn attempt would have succeeded.

That's funny. I seem to recall Amanda & Kris stating in interviews later that they flew through the stacking option of the Detour after being U-turned. I don't think that task is what eliminated them - it seems pretty obvious that it was the U-turn. I think they would have caught up if they hadn't been U-turned.

Logged

"The authority of example and considerations of character, unlike pudding, are not whipped up in an instant." - Neal A. Maxwell

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Were you surprised that Louie and Michael U-Turned you as opposed to Steve or Allie?A. Joe: I think being U-Turned is definitely a surprise. We were running ahead and typically, when I've seen U-Turns, it's the second to last team. They don't want that team behind them to catch up to them. If you're in the front of the pack, you usually just keep going because you don't wanna create negative vibes.A. Heidi: They had the opportunity to u-turn anybody. They didn't have to choose between us or Steve and Allie.

Margie & Luke didn't do that! We were the third team to be at the U-Turn mat when we u-turned Amanda & Kris. I guess we created a new strategy that it doesn't have to be for a second to last team to u-turn a last team.

Yes indeed, and it proved to be devastatingly effective. However, in both the cases of Joe/Heidi and Amanda/Kris those teams had severe difficulties in doing the second DETOUR (which in Amanda/Kris' case they had already failed at. If there had been "normal DETOURS" then neither U-turn attempt would have succeeded.

That's funny. I seem to recall Amanda & Kris stating in interviews later that they flew through the stacking option of the Detour after being U-turned. I don't think that task is what eliminated them - it seems pretty obvious that it was the U-turn. I think they would have caught up if they hadn't been U-turned.

Actually, it was the stack task that did Amanda & Kris in. If they haven't abandoned wood stack detour in first place and re-building it then they would have been able to beat Mark & Michael to the pit stop. So, that was their biggest downfall for giving up on the first detour task. I used that to my advantage when I saw they gave up on the wood stack so I knew by U-Turning them would forced them to go back to wood stack. That was pretty brutal of me!

Honestly, I think Morse Code should have been the Speed Bump task, not the detour task...

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Were you surprised that Louie and Michael U-Turned you as opposed to Steve or Allie?A. Joe: I think being U-Turned is definitely a surprise. We were running ahead and typically, when I've seen U-Turns, it's the second to last team. They don't want that team behind them to catch up to them. If you're in the front of the pack, you usually just keep going because you don't wanna create negative vibes.A. Heidi: They had the opportunity to u-turn anybody. They didn't have to choose between us or Steve and Allie.

Margie & Luke didn't do that! We were the third team to be at the U-Turn mat when we u-turned Amanda & Kris. I guess we created a new strategy that it doesn't have to be for a second to last team to u-turn a last team.

Yes indeed, and it proved to be devastatingly effective. However, in both the cases of Joe/Heidi and Amanda/Kris those teams had severe difficulties in doing the second DETOUR (which in Amanda/Kris' case they had already failed at. If there had been "normal DETOURS" then neither U-turn attempt would have succeeded.

That's funny. I seem to recall Amanda & Kris stating in interviews later that they flew through the stacking option of the Detour after being U-turned. I don't think that task is what eliminated them - it seems pretty obvious that it was the U-turn. I think they would have caught up if they hadn't been U-turned.

Actually, it was the stack task that did Amanda & Kris in. If they haven't abandoned wood stack detour in first place and re-building it then they would have been able to beat Mark & Michael to the pit stop. So, that was their biggest downfall for giving up on the first detour task. I used that to my advantage when I saw they gave up on the wood stack so I knew by U-Turning them would forced them to go back to wood stack. That was pretty brutal of me!

Honestly, I think Morse Code should have been the Speed Bump task, not the detour task...

Well, it did do them in that way, but I though apskip was saying they had difficulty with it after being U-turned. I guess the bottom line is that switching Detours was what put them in last place, and the U-turn cemented them there.

The Morse Code would have been a hard Speed Bump, but I wouldn't complain (since in this case Jeff & Jordan would have had to complete it).

Logged

"The authority of example and considerations of character, unlike pudding, are not whipped up in an instant." - Neal A. Maxwell

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Were you surprised that Louie and Michael U-Turned you as opposed to Steve or Allie?A. Joe: I think being U-Turned is definitely a surprise. We were running ahead and typically, when I've seen U-Turns, it's the second to last team. They don't want that team behind them to catch up to them. If you're in the front of the pack, you usually just keep going because you don't wanna create negative vibes.A. Heidi: They had the opportunity to u-turn anybody. They didn't have to choose between us or Steve and Allie.

Margie & Luke didn't do that! We were the third team to be at the U-Turn mat when we u-turned Amanda & Kris. I guess we created a new strategy that it doesn't have to be for a second to last team to u-turn a last team.

Yes indeed, and it proved to be devastatingly effective. However, in both the cases of Joe/Heidi and Amanda/Kris those teams had severe difficulties in doing the second DETOUR (which in Amanda/Kris' case they had already failed at. If there had been "normal DETOURS" then neither U-turn attempt would have succeeded.

That's funny. I seem to recall Amanda & Kris stating in interviews later that they flew through the stacking option of the Detour after being U-turned. I don't think that task is what eliminated them - it seems pretty obvious that it was the U-turn. I think they would have caught up if they hadn't been U-turned.

Actually, it was the stack task that did Amanda & Kris in. If they haven't abandoned wood stack detour in first place and re-building it then they would have been able to beat Mark & Michael to the pit stop. So, that was their biggest downfall for giving up on the first detour task. I used that to my advantage when I saw they gave up on the wood stack so I knew by U-Turning them would forced them to go back to wood stack. That was pretty brutal of me!

Honestly, I think Morse Code should have been the Speed Bump task, not the detour task...

DeafRacer, although you were in the general vicinity and familiar with Stack, I don't think you are considering the transportation time back to and from the Stack DETOUR near the Church of Innokenty in Osvyanka. I believe Amanda and Kris had to do it on foot and the distance was enough to kill their dreams. To quote the new book Circumnavigating the Globe..., "they did it reasonably quickly but just going back took time and they were maybe 10 minutes behind when they finish."

Yes indeed, and it proved to be devastatingly effective. However, in both the cases of Joe/Heidi and Amanda/Kris those teams had severe difficulties in doing the second DETOUR (which in Amanda/Kris' case they had already failed at. If there had been "normal DETOURS" then neither U-turn attempt would have succeeded.

DeafRacer, although you were in the general vicinity and familiar with Stack, I don't think you are considering the transportation time back to and from the Stack DETOUR near the Church of Innokenty in Osvyanka. I believe Amanda and Kris had to do it on foot and the distance was enough to kill their dreams. To quote the new book Circumnavigating the Globe..., "they did it reasonably quickly but just going back took time and they were maybe 10 minutes behind when they finish."

Joe and Heidi was done in by the Stack Detour? I thought that was 2 seasons ago?

Logged

"The Amazing Race shows the best and worst out of you. But if only negative things are shown, then it's probably you. - Jobby"

DeafRacer, although you were in the general vicinity and familiar with Stack, I don't think you are considering the transportation time back to and from the Stack DETOUR near the Church of Innokenty in Osvyanka. I believe Amanda and Kris had to do it on foot and the distance was enough to kill their dreams. To quote the new book Circumnavigating the Globe..., "they did it reasonably quickly but just going back took time and they were maybe 10 minutes behind when they finish."

Joe and Heidi was done in by the Stack Detour? I thought that was 2 seasons ago?

I may not have always been fond of Joe and Heidi from this season of The Amazing Race--from the first week I joined the "they're too confident" side of the fence--but later weeks made me realize that what they don't have in popularity, they make up with their intensity in running the race. After all, they were in second place at one point. But they were eliminated in France after being U-turned by detectives Louie and Michael--they figured they needed the humble pie, and it seems they did.

I got to talk to Joe and Heidi early today, and I think we covered everything--the U-turn, the Morse code task, and the knee. Oh, and gastronomic delights in Germany, too.

First off, Joe, how's your knee doing?

Much better. I had arthroscopic knee surgery after we returned from the race. Still recovering from the surgery.

How did you two meet?

We met at a wine tasting event in LA, making eye contact across a smoky cigar lounge. That was over 13 years ago.

Before the French leg, you were poised to become one of the race's frontrunners. What did you do that you think the other teams didn't?

We have a very strong history together, so we know each other very well. We communicate well, and above all, trust and respect one another.

Joe, some viewers think you're very driven, but some also think you're too confident. It also seems that you've rubbed the other teams the wrong way. What's your reaction to this?

I'm a sports guy--I'm a very confident and driven individual which may intimidate other people. People who know me, get me, and understands my intensity and good intentions.

Tell me about your partnership of sorts with Steve and Allie. What struck me in your last two legs was your belief that good people should stick with good people, never mind the competitive nature of the race.

Good people attract good people. We're not saying there weren't other good people in the cast, but Steve and Allie shared similar backgrounds with us and we ended up working well with them. Joe and Steve shared a sports background and Heidi and Allie had the Pepperdine connection. We believed four heads were better than two racing around the world. There was always an underlying understanding, that at any given time, either team could break free when it really counted.

Looking back, do you think you deserve being U-turned in France?

"Deserve"--absolutely not! A U-turn is used on strong teams or to prevent a team from elimination. Based on their placement, obviously, they viewed us as their biggest threat, even with Joe's bad knee.

What was going through your heads when you both decided not to finish the Morse code task? I thought it was out of character, especially for you, Joe.

You have to realize we were there for many hours, listening to the same Morse code reel, over and over again. It played very fast, and with all the war effects going on and the change of elements--pouring rain, night time, drop in temperature--we came to the realization that regardless of how many more times we listened to the message, we weren't able to decipher it.

Have you since talked to Louie and Michael about the U-turn?

We spoke briefly.

What was the most memorable experience you've had on the race?

The entire race was a memorable experience. If we had to select a race highlight, though, it would have to be the entire Hamburg leg--so fun! Although our flight was originally scheduled to arrive first, we actually arrived on the last flight, but we quickly made up for lost time: a bungee jump, sauerkraut, beer, Beatles, and placing in the top three after doing two detours. The entire city was decorated for the Christmas holiday, so beautiful and magical at night.

What have you been up to after the race?

Joe recently resigned from Microsoft and is pursuing other exciting business opportunities. We're both happily exploring new ways to make our own millions!

I think I would have liked this team IF Joe hadn't had something in mind not being "why the detectives U-Turned us?" and not enjoy a paid fortnight in the villa... He is just thinking and thinking.

I have to say that, had I known he would be so stubborn that way, I would also have U-Turned him... Elimination Stations have a boring point every week because of him!

Also, because he is always thinking he is the master of TAR, he knows everything that can be done in there... I really really really can't stand him.

Agreed. Come on Joe, you get about US$3,500 plus an all-expenses trip to some five-star villa in Mexico, plus they give u a chance to visit the town, a little bit, but probably better than some tour group. I would be bitter about being eliminated, but also enjoy the villa.

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About the AuthorAuthor, Motivational Speaker, Avid Traveler, Sales Executive, Philanthropist, Competitor, Husband and Father. Born in Taiwan and raised in upstate New York, Joe Wang has traveled the world participating in one of TV?s most popular reality competitions, succeeded in sales for a fortune 500 company, started a family, and still found time to start a youth sports nonprofit organization. Joe is now a California family man, with an intense, yet inspiring, New York state of mind.

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"The authority of example and considerations of character, unlike pudding, are not whipped up in an instant." - Neal A. Maxwell